A Cracked Raven
by Justice Tokidoki
Summary: It's been a week since the murder of two innocent souls, and in a couple hours Vanitas is about to confront the culprit; his own brother. After a decade of forced isolation, Vanitas thought he was prepared for anything Sora threw his way. But their second unsettling reunion brings up new topics that Vanitas doesn't think he can overlook. AU Spin-Off of xxIAmTheSkyxx's Irreversible.


**Finally complete!**

**This is a my late birthday present to xxIAmTheSkyxx, a spin-off to her beloved (and tragic) crime/mystery oneshots known as Lies Upon Lies and Irreversible. If you don't read those first, you might be lost. Either way, I hope you all enjoy! And I thank xxIAmTheSkyxx for allowing me to expand on her stories!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, seriously. Really, the premise isn't mine, the characters aren't mine, I'm just continuing off the wonderful material xxIAmTheSkyxx produced. Also, there's a line Vanitas says that I pulled out right from Irreversible because it was just so awesome that I couldn't change it.**

**Warnings: Contains self-harm, suicidal thoughts, violence, and some vulgar language. Not for the faint of heart.**

* * *

**A C****_r_**_ac_**ked Ra**v**en**

_"Help! Help!"_

_Vanitas shot out of bed, eyes wide open. Sweat dripped from his brow as he raced down the stairs, feet flying down the steps fast enough to rival a bullet train._

_His brother was hurt. He was in danger._

_"Help! Please, somebody-" The frantic voice broke off in wretched sobs._

_At the sound of crying, Vanitas forced himself to go faster, pumping his legs out in a manner that was just asking for some obstacle to trip him. He slid across the tiled floor in his kitchen, then jumped over the couch, staring at the small form of his brother lying in the middle of the living room._

_"Sora?!" He shouted while nearly slamming into him, chest heaving. He pressed a firm hand on Sora's shoulder. "Answer me, Sora!" he said while twisting his own hair up into spiky knots with a free hand._

_After a couple seconds passed, Sora sat up, staring at Vanitas with innocent eyes, expression neutral. "...you came."_

_Vanitas stared as his own mind spun unevenly on a new axis. "S-Sora? Are...are you okay?"_

_Sora smiled. "Yes, I was just pretending. So, do you think I was good?"_

_Vanitas could barely form a response as he continued to stare at his younger brother while his fingers twitched. "You...you just..."_

_"It was good, right? Like him?" Sora raised his small hand toward the television screen. "See? Like that man there?"_

_Vanitas took one glance at the random person screaming on the TV, then turned to glare at his brother. The next few minutes were spent with their poor parents splitting the boys apart. Vanitas was screaming and shouting, struggling against them as he never let his eyes off of his brother. "Don't you ever do that again! Don't you ever scare me like that again, dammit!"_

_Sora was shivering and if one looked closely at his face they would see a glimpse of purple skin surrounding his right eye. He stared back at Vanitas, blinking. Then, with a simple twitch of the lips, he smiled._

Vanitas' brow crinkled at the memory, the string of illusions only stopping when he felt himself thrust forward, the force of a seat-belt strap keeping his body from flying out of the seat.

"Sorry about that," Ventus said stiffly, eyes trained on the building in front of him. Vanitas wasted a single glance on the detective before looking at the building. He then got out of the car in a huff and ran for the entrance as one single thought came to mind.

_My brother, he's in there..._

_Sora's in there._

Vanitas frowned, taking the institution more clearly now that he was practically right in front of it. The building just screamed confinement, straight from its towering height down to the barred doors guarded by security at the entrance. Or, to be precise, one security guard.

As if sensing the impending confrontation upon Vanitas' approach, the guard stepped in front of the door, his expression firm and taut. "Can I be of service to you, sir?"

Vanitas growled, obviously not in the mood for pleasantries. "It's Vanitas. Vanitas Crowe. Sora Reyes is my brother, I know you're keeping him here. I demand to see him at once."

"Sir, the person you are talking about has yet to stand trial for his crimes. He is delusional and very dangerous. We are not accepting-"

"Did you hear a word I said, fool? I'm. His. Brother." Being locked away from the world for more than a decade sort of altered the way Vanitas viewed people. He couldn't comprehend why it was such a freakin' problem for him to speak with his own flesh and blood.

"We're not allowing any visitors at this time. Now if you excuse me, sir-"

"What the hell?!" Vanitas was very close to strangling the man. "What do you mean no visitors?!"

"He's a convicted criminal, son. I can't let you in without authorization, we're running a delicate operation here and-"

"To hell with that load of crap! I don't care if he killed the goddamn president; that's my brother you're trapping in there!" Vanitas was furiously counting in his head. God, he wanted to punch the man! He'd been through too much to be barred from the only person who knew his pain, the only person who had seen him cry, the only person that truly mattered to him. _This sucker better step aside before I do it. Jail is better than that other hellhole any day..._

Ventus walked up to the tense duo with a sigh, rubbing his shoulder gingerly. "Alright, back it up you two."

The guard stammered, "A-Agent Reed? I beg your pardon-I didn't expect to see you out of the hospital so soon."

Ventus didn't even blink, simply narrowed his eyes. Vanitas stood back, impressed as the guard flinched._ Nice one, detective._

Ventus continued, as if he were oblivious of the effect he was having on them. "Is there a problem, officer?"

"No. I was just kindly telling this man here that he needs authorization before he can see his brother."

"Don't bother. If he needs authorization, I'll gladly fill in." Ventus' eyes were piercing and Vanitas knew the guard wouldn't have the guts to question him.

"Yes, Agent Reed. Right this way." The guard quickly got over his embarrassing lapse long enough to unlock the door. Vanitas felt his respect for Ventus growing slightly, if not grudgingly. In the end, he still felt like beating the guard to a bloody pulp, but now that they were actually going to see Sora he had no right to complain.

The proceedings carried on dully as Ventus signed various forms while Vanitas leaned against the wall, watching the clock tick idly. He was starting to feel nervous now that his brother was only a couple doors away. Their first meeting hadn't gone well, and he was hoping for a more..._smooth_ reunion this time around.

Granted, he wasn't expecting much. After all, his brother was _deranged_ according to the men around him anyway. _I still have time, I can still reach him. Baby steps, it will all be okay._ He grunted, allowing the thought to build his confidence though his composure seemed to be opposing his mental consensus.

_Well, I can at least start with convincing him that I am_ alive_._ It nearly sent him into another stupor as a more recent memory came to him. Sora screaming at him, calling him the foulest names, eyes widening in terror...

Sora had always been the fragile one. There were times when he would act mischievous and pull stunts, but it had always been a front. Vanitas saw through it all...but he hadn't been able to address it. Not in time for it to matter anyway.

Then things only got worse when the beatings started, flesh being pulled from Vanitas' bones, knives nipping at his cheeks and neck, talons clawing at his spine-

"Vanitas?" Ventus tapped him on the shoulder once.

"What?" Vanitas snapped, momentarily surprised.

"You can see him now."

Vanitas stood up straight, eyeing the new guard warily before staring into Ventus' determined eyes. "Okay, I'm ready," He said with a shrug.

And that was that. Time shot forward too fast for his liking. Before he knew it he was standing outside Sora's holding room. A bullet-proof glass wall separated him from his brother. Sora sat in a chair, eyes glazed, as if he wasn't even awake. His body was covered in multiple scars and bruises. Fresh wounds were still bleeding badly in rings, circling his neck, chest, and waist. Vanitas' eyes widened at the horror. _No, not him. It can't happen to him too..._

He spoke his thoughts flatly. "What the hell happened to him?"

"None of this is our doing. All of the damage you see was self-inflicted. We couldn't stop him," Terra, the extra guard, answered, his voice brooding.

Ventus and the officer continued talking while Vanitas simply stared at his brother. It was inconceivable, almost impossible for him to imagine Sora acting this way. But this wasn't_ his_ Sora. The person he was staring at was only a broken shell of the former.

_Well, time for me to bring him back._ It didn't take long for the others to allow him to speak with Sora, thanks to Ventus' insistence. Vanitas wasn't one for giving thanks, but he truly was grateful for Ventus' involvement. Well, he could at least tolerate his involvement anyway.

"Alright, you get five minutes." Terra walked away from the door after saying this, key twirling in his palm. Ventus smiled softly before nodding.

"Thanks," Vanitas said, a genuine grin spreading on his face briefly. Then he took a deep breath...and opened the door.

* * *

The light blinked once as the ghost stood outside the barricade. The light kept flickering, the flourescent rays flashing against the glass before stabilizing. I'm sure I was the only one to notice it though...

It didn't matter, I was done. The ghost was opening the door now, and I knew my time had come. And I was ready.

_I'm not scared, you can't touch me!_ Doubt was still present however. It couldn't be helped, not everyone can handle a confrontation with the occult.

Given my history, I had a right to be worried. I'm wanted in about thirty different countries from all over the continents. I don't think God was necessarily on my side at that particular moment. I swallowed, trying to ignore the apparition. Because that's what he was, an apparition.

"Sora?" He said calmly, voice wavering.

I kept staring ahead. _Don't listen to him, don't listen to him, don't listen to him, don't listen to him._

"Please, Sora, I'm not here to hurt you." He raised a pale hand toward me. Still, I remained silent. I wasn't going to give him what he wants, he couldn't influence me. I was sick of people telling me what to do, trying to make me act according to what _they_ thought was right. Hell no, I was done with it all.

"Listen, I have no idea what you're thinking right now. But, I'm here so whatever you-"

I cut him off as I felt my cheeks burn. "Shut up, demon!"

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not a demon, Sora."

"Quit saying my name, you bastard! Get out!" No, it was too much. I couldn't stand it, couldn't breathe in the same room with him. He knew what he was doing, he knew how to torture me. "Just leave me alone!"

He walked a little closer to me, his eyes dark. "No."

"What do you want from me, huh? A confession? Is that what you want?" I didn't know how loud I was shouting or how my face suddenly felt wet and sticky. It didn't matter. I was strapped in a chair next to this asshole, this imposter.

"If confessing will make you feel better, than that's fine with me." He sat on his knees in front of me, head at par with my chest. "I'm not leaving until you at least acknowledge to yourself that I'm really here."

I glared at him. "Fine, you want the truth? Do you fucking want to know why I'm here?" What else was I to do? He wasn't going to go away it seemed unless I told him about all my sins or whatever kind of crap he needed to know to report from above. I huffed before beginning, stating the obvious bluntly, "I kill people."

He nodded, expression all serene-like. Not pitying, but not harsh either. Humph, it was a typical look for a spirit no less. "Right, so you kill people."

I shook my head, laughing slightly. "Are you an idiot? I said I _kill_ people."

"I heard you."

"And it doesn't bother you? Not in the slightest?"

He walked closer to me and I flinched back. "I don't care what you do, Sora. If you have an explanation then I'll listen. I'm still your brother you know."

"No, you're not. He's **dead**," I spat as my wrists bled from my efforts to break out of the chair.

He leaned in towards me, so close that I could see the dull yellow in his eyes. "What can I do to prove to you that I'm him?"

I breathed heavily before turning away. "Nothing you say will get to me. I'm not just some puppet you can throw around for your own purposes!"

"...I never said you were a puppet."

"Shut up! Go away!" I closed my eyes tightly while tugging at the restraints. _Get me out of here, get me out of here!_

And then, he did the unthinkable. He...hugged me.

It broke me, shattered my soul into multiple pieces of confetti that crumbled away in the air like fluttering wings. At that moment I knew that he had come to haunt me. Vanitas would haunt me...until justice was brought. There was nothing else to do, nothing short of the truth that would save me now.

So I started from the beginning. "They did it, the Organization started it all. I was just a teen, a homeless teen with nothing but my brother to lean on. But then we got kidnapped...and then they took my brother..."

"Sora-"

I cut the ghost off, "They took Vanitas, then they started beating him." The tears came and I couldn't stop them, but I didn't care. I was far from done. "I had to kill, I had to get better at the missions. They don't accept failure, you know? They don't like excuses, don't want to hear their pawns complain, won't tolerate weakness. They only want death, death, death, and more death!"

I wheezed, feeling the air drawing out of my lungs. I coughed weakly then started up again, raising my voice this time. "So I got better. I figured it was just acting, you know? I didn't care, no one cares anyway. Why should I care about my neighbor or the girl next door or the man who mows the lawn...no one ever thinks about it. People don't think about death, they avoid it. I can't, you see, because I worked with it daily. If it wasn't a kill then it was preparation for a kill. Researching for a target, setting traps for a target..."

I felt my eyes real back and I could see the images before me, countless innocent people flashing in front of my eyes. But I didn't care about them, and that should have been okay. "I can't think of them as human, you see. I used to think about it all...humanity, sacrifice, essence, blood...but that would just bring about doubt, guilt, sympathy...the Organization doesn't like that, you know."

"So, I continued to watch and research on my off days. I tried, I tried to care, I wanted to care...but then I discovered the truth. No. One. Ever. Cares!" I growled as more tears came, but they were angry tears. Violent tears. Justified tears. "People say they want to help, people always talk about giving to charity. But that's not what they're _really_ after. They just want power, fame, fortune, money. People live to survive. They only care about the ones in their intimate circle, the rest can just go to hell, right?"

I glared at the spirit, just begging for him to challenge me so that I could tear his argument apart. But he stayed silent, and I hated that. He looked like my brother, smelled like my brother, and he acted like my brother...the gods must hate me.

It didn't matter though, I wasn't going to stop. "It worked, I could separate work from real life...yes, I actually had a life outside of work. I could communicate, I could socialize...and I had friends. Well, a friend..." This is the only time I looked through the glass, taking a peek at Ventus. _Huh, his shoulder healed up..._ I smiled bitterly at him before turning back to the ghost. "Ventus. He's the only one who made sense...and even he fails the test. He's still just as bad as everyone else...but this isn't about him, is it?"

Vani-the ghost simply stared at me, his expression solemn.

_Hmm, still not talking?_ _Good. _"So, now I have an important question for you, and don't bother answering because it's rhetorical." I paused, just to be a dramatic smart ass, before continuing. "Am I crazy? Do I hate humans? Well, don't trip over yourself thinking about it because the answer to both is based on perception. It doesn't matter what I say, right? You already have your own opinion based on what I just told you, right? So basically, it's all on you. Only your say counts. I. Don't. Matter. Only the illusion does."

My body shook with tremors as I panted heavily, and then I realized that I made a mistake. This spirit wasn't like humans, it wasn't _mortal_. Therefore, my trivial contemplations about life really didn't count. He was here for only one thing, to carry out punishment, to deal justice.

Black or white, right or wrong...it was irrelevant. I had to do my pay...and my defense was dry. I had to convince him to go easy on me, because I was going to do his job for him.

I swallowed and switched tactics, eyes bright with panic. "Forgive me, I got a little carried away there. I'll just skip to the chase then." I didn't look away, I stared at my brother's look-alike straight in the eyes, trying to convey how serious I was. "What I was really trying to do was end it all."

His eyes widened slightly but he remained silent, and this time I was grateful for it. I had wasted enough time already.

I cleared my throat, staring off into space as I recalled what had went wrong that horrid week. "I couldn't kill myself, that just seemed like the coward's way out. To think of all the deaths I had caused, all the murders I had committed...hanging or slitting the wrists just wouldn't be _fair_. And, if you haven't guessed, I like even playing grounds." I swallowed, glancing warily at the glass. "It seemed kind of silly at first, challenging the greatest detective on the East Coast...but he was my friend. His life at the time was at a crossroads...he was about to leave me. I decided that I would create one last trick, one crime spree worth mentioning, something to keep him busy. The Organization wanted two more random kills so I thought I could kill two birds with one stone."

I shrugged, smiling slightly as I remembered the hours of planning (not days or weeks, after all I was an expert by this point). It all seemed so perfect, as if it were destined to happen. I allowed myself a small laugh before turning back towards the ghost. "I kind of have this little...obsession with birds. You know they're supposed to be a symbol of freedom, right? It's strange. I've been all over the world, been free to assume all these aliases, create multiple lives...and yet my brother was killed in a series of cages underground, hidden from the world."

I blinked, staring at the ghost. "Have I lost you?" I asked, starting to grow wary. I was a little uneasy. I had expected at least one grunt of disapproval, one look of disgust. But all he did was stare at me. So I stared back, and this continued for about five minutes before he rolled his eyes.

"No, I hear you. Nothing is confusing me in the slightest," He answered before glaring at me.

His gaze chilled me to the bone. I was having a hard time accepting the fact that I was being haunted already, but to be haunted by your own older brother? I knew I was going to have to hurry along with my grim tale. "Anyway, as I was saying...birds. So, uh, I sort of set everything in motion with it. Well, it wasn't _exactly_ how it started out, but in my mind that's where it begins."

"You see, I was feeling kind of..._unhinged_ I guess when I made my first offense that caught Ventus' attention, assisting Kairi Cress in killing a petty love rival." I rolled my eyes as I practically spat out the next statement. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I knew she was a bitch from the start...I just didn't expect her to stoop so low as committing murder." _I didn't want to think that she could be as bad as me, that she deserved someone like me. I knew I deserved her...only because she was the worst person for me._

_She hated me, cussed at me, treated me like crap. I deserved it...it wasn't supposed to be the other way around..._ "She was still in love with Riku, the arrogant fool. And Xion was getting in her way...so I helped her out. What are boyfriends for, eh?" I shrugged. "Eh, that's what got the ball rolling anyway. But Kairi was ticking me off...complaining about Riku and whatnot. So I took out my frustrations on a poor bird...a raven to be precise." I grinned. "Then I just let it fall...fall...fall...fall...it ended up crashing into my friend's car." I gestured towards Ventus before giggling. It was visceral, I couldn't control it.

"...I see," the ghost stated dully.

His nonchalance was starting to get to me. I mean, I had the right to be apathetic. He was a spirit who would give judgement, wasn't he supposed to kind of, I don't know, _care_ about this? "Right. Well, it carried on from there. People probably think I'm a bastard for assisting in the cruel process of snuffing out the life of an innocent little maiden, but I honestly wasn't too worried at first. Until Kairi started to talk."

_It wasn't supposed to happen that way, she wasn't supposed to be the weak one. She wasn't supposed to break, she couldn't be more aware of her actions..._

_She couldn't be **guilty.**..she couldn't be more **noble**..._

_But she **was**. And that was a problem...because now I didn't deserve her._ "I had to kill another person anyway, so I thought, 'Huh, well it might as well be her. She's going to ruin the operation anyway.'" By this time I was shaking and crying, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. So I ignored the minor signs of weakness, they were just distractions. "By this time I was sort of feeling... depressed I guess? I had set this up to in order to fail, you see? I wanted Ventus to succeed...for both his and my sake. The final stepping stone...was just getting him to kill me."

I took in a deep breath. For some reason, it had become harder to speak. "You see...I needed it, had to find a way out. A way that fit in with society's definitions of _right_. Ventus was noble enough...and consistent enough. I trusted him with this mission more than anyone in my life...except maybe _you_. But of course, that wasn't possible." I stared at my bloody wrists, murmuring, "Ventus had to do it...and for that I had to get him angry."

Hot, angry tears scorched down my face, cleansing my bruises as I chuckled darkly. "I didn't really..._anticipate_ how much of a challenge that would be. How infuriating it would be. He fell easily enough into the role of detective, solving the murders as fast as I expected him to...but I sort of miscalculated how calm he could be. Adrenaline has nothing on this guy..." I lifted my face up, glaring at Vanitas...or whatever the hell he was. "I even brought my gun out, sort of twitched as I did it, get me? He was supposed to retaliate, I mean hello? Evil maniac, waving a gun, the law doesn't apply. It's survival instinct, shoot first question later, eh?"

I looked away, burning invisible holes into the ground with my eyes. "It was supposed to work, he was supposed to kill me...but he didn't." I chuckled again. "He didn't. Instead he tries to play stupid and decides to drop his gun in front of me! Like I won't kill him, like he's not in danger, like he isn't in danger right now!" My laughs turned into coughs and I kept coughing and hacking up whatever was left in my stomach. By the time I was done there was a healthy mix of something brown, green, and red dripping down my legs and onto the floor. "God, that's gross..." I muttered before lifting my head up, smirking at the ghost.

I was done.

Of course, news like this isn't something to be digested so fast. He obviously had to think about it...as if he were human or something. He couldn't be my brother, my brother was dead. Trapped in a cage to rot somewhere. He couldn't be in front of me unless he was gifted with the right to immortality.

How sweet for him, it didn't make it right for him to haunt me however. _Please, as if you don't deserve it? Of course he can haunt you, he can do whatever he wants to you...it's your fault he isn't here, your fault he's dead..._

_You should be broken just like him, it's only **fair**..._

The thoughts struck me out of nowhere, truly tipping the balance. It was weird how a couple seconds could alter my perspective so drastically. At that moment, it was clear to me that I had misunderstood the whole process.

Vanitas' expression (I grew tired of simply referring to him as a ghost, he was much worse than that) made the revelation even more true. His eyes were a sea of sadness, and that was the only window to grief. The rest of his face was deathly pale, but besides that his dominant expression was somewhat neutral. "Sora...why did you tell me this?" he asked, his voice lower than the deepest grave.

"Why?" I smiled. "Because you're a dove. You goal is to bring peace...and I must confess my crimes in order for that to happen."

He looked confused and I almost wanted to laugh again. It was obvious that he wasn't going to make this easier for me. He was good at playing the part, acting ignorant. But by this point I wasn't worried anymore. I knew what he wanted now, what he needed. It was a bittersweet gift now that I look back on it. I had to get this stuff off my chest, had to let him know about every crime I ever made.

The two I had just told him were paltry, the dust of the surface. They were the events that mattered _most_ but they weren't enough. I would have to dig deeper until I uncovered everything...and then...then I would be free.

Two birds would soar high into the sky, one free to enter the realm above from Earth and the other finally free to rip its roots out of the cage. I was now more than ready, and I smiled brightly because, heck, I figured it out!

And...well, I must admit, I had to be a smartass about it.

* * *

Vanitas didn't know what to do, didn't know what to say when Sora started smiling at him, thanking him even for showing him the light, giving him the key. It was almost disturbing in a sense...and Vanitas wasn't one to get disturbed easily. After he nodded a few times and uttered assurances he finally stood up after sitting for what seemed like hours. He approached the door cell, opening it as if he were leaving the morgue, then closed it solemnly.

Terra walked over to the door, locking it without a word then turned around. Three men stared at each other, faces as pale as moonlight.

Ventus closed his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Damn him," was all he said before shaking his head, letting out a disgruntled sound that sounded like a moan.

Terra simply stared at Sora from afar, his face blank. "Crazy lunatic..."

Vanitas glared at the guard as an image of a fist smashing into the poor fool's face entered his mind. He dismissed the violent impulse as he remembered a peculiar fact. "You said five minutes only. What made you change your mind?" he asked instead.

Terra grunted and tilted his head at Ventus who looked away. Vanitas regarded the detective for a moment before holding out a hand. Ventus gave him a single glance before nodding, bringing his own hand out. They grasped each other and shook once, thanking without words. And that was the end of it.

The next few weeks went by rapidly, various interrogations blurring with paperwork and DNA tests. Vanitas felt like a lab rat, running around in circles (which wasn't that unfamiliar if he admitted it to himself). Ventus and him became close, if not good acquaintances. They didn't have to speak to get a message out, and Vanitas was more grateful for this than anything else.

However, the only thing that really registered in Vanitas mind were his visits with Sora. Not because they were pleasant (far from it) but because it was the only way Vanitas could connect with the world around him.

He knew next to nothing about the common things in life, what people were like and how they reacted currently. Sora would tell him, he would always lay it out bluntly...followed by an account of how he murdered another poor soul. Monday it was Priscilla, Wednesday it was Rebecca, Friday it was Lynnn and John...

If the fact that Sora remembered all of the names of the people didn't frighten him, then the culture facts did.

"They just love throwing parties. I tell you, if you ever go to Paris, please, for the life of me, don't enter this restaurant..."

"And then they have the nerve to tell me that I'm late. You know what I would say to that? It would be..."

"I couldn't wear jeans! Do you know how horrible that is, Vanitas?! Can you comprehend how horrifying-wait a minute. That was a stupid question, forget I said anything..."

"Vanitas? Hey, are you listening to me?"

Sora's glare nearly gave Vanitas chills as he felt the hair on his back stand on end. "Yeah, I heard you. Sorry, I was thinking about something," Vanitas muttered while inwardly hitting himself on the forehead.

"Right, of course you were. This is life-saving info, Vanitas. Life-saving!"

"Yeah, you mentioned that earlier."

"And I'll say it again, sheesh, how many times do I have to say it before it gets in that thick skull of yours?" Sora laughed loudly, his voice light and airy. It almost convinced Vanitas, almost made a small grin come on his face as the sound entered his ears. Then Sora stopped laughing, staring at him like _that_ again.

"Why do you always do that?" he asked, finally fed up with Sora's antics (as was usually the case).

Sora smiled, his eyes sparkling as if he held a precious secret. "Just because."

_Yeah, and you just avoided my question._ Vanitas growled. "Sora, I'm serious! You do that a lot, what am I to you?"

"You're special, Vanitas. Always remember that." Sora's smile grew wider. "You're just a pure, white dove waiting to spread its wings."

Usually the bird-talk was where he zoned out, but Vanitas leaned in close, defying his own judgments. "And what are you, Sora?" he asked.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. I always liked to think of myself as a phoenix, or a dove, or a hawk, or-" His voice grew higher with delight as he listed a bunch of birds that Vanitas knew nothing about. He half listened, words rolling in and out his ear, but one got stuck in his mind.

._..like a raven._ Vanitas growled before shaking his head, rubbing a hand through his own wild hair.

"Eh? You're looking a little pale there, Vanitas."

"Was I? Your eyes must have been playing tricks."

"I have perfect vision."

"Well, maybe you need to get it checked."

Sora blinked and Vanitas glared. A couple seconds passed before Sora's eyes softened, then he smiled.

A few more weeks passed before the trial was finally set. Vanitas looked upon the date with dread. Ventus had barely gone over some of the basic procedures of the court system with him, but from his limited knowledge he knew that Sora was going to be sentenced to life in prison...or worse.

He sighed as acceptance set in. This would be the last time he could visit his brother before the trial. _Maybe, if I distract him long enough, he won't tell me about another damn person he killed..._

He was nearly at the building, already seeing its high form peek out from across the street. He had memorized various pathways to reach the institution after Ventus showed him during a late night drive. He approached the place with a sense of trepidation and was surprised to see guards running in and out of the entrance in a frenzy while some of them stood around, holding black communicators up to their ears. Vanitas wasn't surprised to see Ventus there however after noticing a small group of other police officers clustered around in a tight hub.

"Hey, Reed," Vanitas greeted, trying not to be intimidated by the sheer amount of people with guns.

Ventus, as usual, skipped the greeting and stated bluntly, "Your brother escaped."

"What?!"

"It's only been a few hours, and no serious crime has been reported so we can assume he hasn't left for vengeance," Ventus continued without pause. "However, we did find this so far. It's _addressed_ to you, and we have no clue what it means. We're waiting for the language experts to get here."

Vanitas raised an eyebrow. _God, is he serious?_ "Let me see it." Ventus handed him the paper before turning back to his own officers. Vanitas skimmed over the statement, muttering to himself.

_Mtxei Roxas o_

"Just great, you're a real charmer, Sora." He tilted his head, holding up the paper to the light, trying to find the secret message, coded script, whatever the hell his brother decided to do for the trick. After a couple minutes with no answer, Vanitas gave the paper back before asking Ventus to write the message on his arm.

A few hours passed, and Vanitas was still staring at the message suspiciously while flipping through channels aimlessly back at Ventus' apartment. Just as he saw his brother's face on the news it hit him.

With wide eyes and sweating palms, Vanitas grabbed a piece of paper from a random desk and a pen. Then he started scribbling.

**Mtxei Roxas o**

He took out the 'xx.'

**Mtei Roas o**

He scrambled the words.

**Sora o Mite**

Vanitas sat back against the couch and huffed, mind moving too fast for his body to keep track. _Didn't he say that to me once? Something about different languages...  
_

_Right, it's Japanese! Dammit!_

_Okay, so...Mite means 'look' roughly...and Sora means...Sora means..._

He got out of the couch, running outside and lifting his head up. _Sora means...sky._

The sky itself was clear for a moment...and then he spotted a set of blue, hypnotic eyes staring at him. _Shit! He's on the roof!_ "What the hell are you doing, Sora?!"

Sora smiled back at him, and Vanitas couldn't help but notice how twisted it looked from a distance. "I'm doing what I was born to do, Vanitas. Now, I'm going to set you free."

"Sora! Get down here, _now_!" He flinched as he saw Sora lift his arms up, staring down at him with a happy expression (an insane expression). "Don't even-"

Sora jumped.

Time seemed to stop as Vanitas looked at Sora's descending form, black shirt rippling through the air while his jeans fluttered in the wind. His eyes were closed for most of the journey downward until he reached Vanitas' level, eyes piercing him, as if he were finally answering his question from before.

_What are you, Sora?_

His eyes closed again and Vanitas watched him fall...fall...fall.

It didn't take long for the police to reach the apartment and when Ventus reached his front doorstep, he saw Vanitas standing there, looking at his brother from afar.

Ventus touched his shoulder before staring with him, his eyes fully alert and guarded. But after a few moments he turned his head, voice wavering, "He landed on my car." He looked away then, shuddering.

Vanitas' closed his eyes. "He wasn't just a raven..."

"...what?"

Vanitas opened his eyes fully, taking in the odd angle at which Sora's neck jutted out. "He was a cracked raven..." He then walked away, moving into the shadows of various shrubbery as a nurse removed his brother's body from the car.

* * *

**Extra Note: I'm reiterating for the sake of my friend, xxIAmTheSkyxx. This is based off of her work, the characters and premise belong to HER. Guys, please make sure you give her credit where credit is due.**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing.**


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